10 Recent TV Shows That Failed Hard (But Should Have Been Great)
We were all so excited, then all so disappointed.
With the glut of quality television coming out in current times, audiences have certainly developed a higher standard of expectations than a few years back.
It was different in say, the 90s, when a show could launch to a handful of luke-warm early seasons (e.g. The X-Files, Buffy) but slowly build an audience, as well as eventually find its footing as a strong show.
Yet, in the present day, no one tolerates it: sub-par shows really don’t have much chance of surviving very long, usually disappearing swiftly if they’re downright mediocre or the promotional materials just didn't manage to grab people.
But what about when a much-hyped show - with every reason (on paper) for it to succeed, or with an insanely talented group of people behind it - results in lacklustre quality?
The accumulated list is focusing on the rare cases of such - shows that should have been incredible but turned out dull, or even in some cases, were epic dumpster fires. The results for most of these are more confusing than infuriating, as all the elements seemed to be in place, yet the results were left wanting.
10. Marvel's Iron Fist
An argument can be made that the character of Iron Fist as a comic already felt a little goofy and dated in a modern age. Yet, as proven by Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker's 2006 comic reboot, in the right hands his legacy can be enthralling storytelling. So the prospect of having the character join the high-calibre slew of Marvel/Netflix shows that came before, had several expecting a strong outcome.
Instead, we were given a show that felt like a true chore to sit through, with a cliched superhero origin tale with story beats that had been done better in movies (Batman Begins, Dr Strange) and TV (the early seasons of Arrow). It didn't help that it was all delivered with the amount of enthusiasm of the show-runner reading out a checklist.
The lead actor Finn Jones lacked the charm and range needed to give the whiny lead any depth or sympathy, and he was amateurish in the martial arts department too. Add to that a rushed production filled with cheap CGI and underwhelming sets, plus two lacklustre villains.
It was an ordeal that basically made Luke Cage's uneven elements feel like The Wire in comparison. At least that show had passion - something this quick attempt at filling up the Defenders roster was sorely missing.